ABSTRACT
Atherosclerosis is one of the most prevalent fatal diseases in Western populations, causing one half of all deaths. Understanding the pathogenesis of cardiovascular plaque formation is critical in developing and implementing therapeutic strategies and this chapter describes atherosclerosis as a chronic, age-related pathologic process of muscular arteries where degenerate material containing macrophages, lipids, connective tissue, calcium and debris accumulates within the inner layer to form atheromatous plaque, and how a progression of intimal thickening, fibroatheromas and ruptured plaques contribute to acute vascular events such as stroke or acute coronary syndrome. The authors also highlight the many etiological risk factors such as dyslipidaemia, hypertension, diabetes, smoking and genetic factors that contribute to atherosclerosis, and recognise the importance of strategies such as lifestyle modification to mitigate progression of this disease.
